Ortley beach replenishment project making great progress, mayor says

TOMS RIVER, N.J. — Toms River Mayor Dan Rodrick today said the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers beach replenishment project is moving forward at a good pace.

Crews working on a massive federal beach replenishment effort in Ortley Beach working towards the completion of their portion of the $73.5 million coastal defense project, according to local and federal officials.

Launched in January, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) initiative stretches from Manasquan Inlet to Seaside Park and aims to place 2.1 million cubic yards of sand across several northern Ocean County towns.

In Ortley Beach alone, approximately 426,000 cubic yards of sand are being pumped ashore to rebuild and strengthen the shoreline, with most of the work concentrated in February and March.

Photo: ortley beach replenishment project making great progress, mayor says

The effort, led by the USACE Philadelphia District in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Ocean County, and local municipalities, is being executed by Houston-based Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co., which began mobilizing vessels to the area at the start of the year.

In Ortley Beach, the project includes reshaping and expanding the beach berm, a key line of defense against coastal erosion and storms. Dunes, sand fencing, and beach access points are also being restored, with dune grass planting to follow. The area has experienced repeated storm damage, particularly after Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and a series of nor’easters.

On Monday, Mayor Rodrick joined representatives from the Army Corps and the Operating Engineers Union at Diane Lane in Ortley Beach to observe the progress. The township has spent more than $1.3 million since the last major renourishment in 2019 on temporary repairs as winter storms eroded the beachfront which was the site of ground zero in 2012 during Superstorm Sandy.

The larger coastal project is expected to run six to seven months and may continue into early summer 2025, depending on weather and construction factors. For Ortley Beach, work is currently on schedule and nearing its conclusion, though final adjustments may still occur based on conditions.

At the last Toms River Township Council meeting, Council President Justin Lamb said he was optimistic that the project, while it could still be ongoing in portions of the barrier island community early this summer, would not impact public beach access in Ortley Beach.

The township also recently approved to connect the northern and southern boardwalks this year, another project that will further enhance the beauty of the Toms River oceanfront community.

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